Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration is not amused by labor union criticism of its plan to close and merge mental hospitals.

In a statement late Thursday evening, Cuomo Communications Director Melissa DeRosa knocked the Civil Service Employees Association, which began airing television advertisements this week that questions the plan to take the state’s 24 psychiatric centers and turn them into 15 regional centers over the next three years.

DeRosa said the Cuomo administration is complying with the Olmstead v. L.C. decision, a Supreme Court decision that encourages deinstitutionalizing the mentally disabled.

DeRosa’s statement:

“This plan modernizes New York’s mental health system and conforms to both a Supreme Court decision and a Department of Justice order to improve the lives of those with disabilities by assimilating them back into our communities when it’s appropriate and feasible.

CSEA and their special interest allies continue to oppose change, and our efforts to improve the lives of less fortunate New Yorkers. Whether their refusals to agree to tough penalties for employees who abuse patients under their care, or have people with mental illness live a life of dignity, they have repeatedly shown no interest anything other than preserving the status quo.”

The CSEA ad claims Cuomo is “playing musical chairs” with the psych centers, claiming it will have a detrimental effect on patients.